Top South African private school on global watchlist

·5 Nov 2025

Hilton College in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands has been ranked among the top private schools in the world and has been added to an international list of ‘schools to watch’ for another global ranking.

Hilton was one of five private schools in South Africa ranked in the Spear’s Magazine’s 2025 schools index, ranking within the top 100 alongside MichaelHouse, St Anne’s Diocesan College, Cordwalles Preparatory School and Western Province Preparatory School.

While the school missed out on being ranked in the 2024/25 Carfax Index of top 125 global schools, it was included in the group’s 2025 ‘Watchlist’, which singles out top schools for future inclusion.

The Carfax Index’s “Ones to Watch” list spotlights 25 schools that are either on the verge of joining the top 125 or offer something truly distinctive that sets them apart from the mainstream.

Of the 25 schools featured on the watchlist, 10 are specifically singled out as likely to enter the top 125 in future rankings. Hilton was one of the ten schools highlighted.

According to Carfax Education, Hilton’s expansive 1,600-hectare estate in KZN provides the backdrop for what it says is “a unique educational experience” for learners.

“The very intentional and well-crafted journey of self-discovery, leadership and global citizenship draws boys from across the globe, attracted by the blend of academic rigour and outdoor adventure,” it said.

“Hilton College offers each pupil a transformative experience and prepares them to be young men who will thrive and lead others with empathy, integrity and confidence.”

The assessment is confirmed by the Spear’s School Index, where Hilton features in 2025.

The Spear’s index is based on assessments by a panel of professional educators in the international private school space, focusing on academic performance, reputation and a variety of social and cultural factors.

The magazine noted that academic and examination results are important, but not the only considerations when determining excellence.

“In some cases, schools with strong academics have been omitted where they fall short in relation to these wider considerations,” it said.

“Notably, the team have been cognisant also of ‘cultural’ and ‘value-based’ factors which are of growing concern in relation to many families.”

A historic journey in excellence

Over the last 153 years, Hilton College has evolved into a world-class institution known for its academic excellence, elite status, and rich traditions.

The school was founded by botanist William Orde Newnham in 1872, with an initial group of 50 pupils housed in dormitories near the stables on the Ongegund farm.

It now stands as the most expensive and one of the highest-performing private schools in South Africa.

The school has produced a number of prominent South Africans, including Springbok rugby stars Bobby Skinstad and Gary Teichmann, Microsoft executive Paul Maritz, and former MP Tim Harris.

The school offers dual academic pathways: the IEB (Independent Examinations Board) and Cambridge A Levels.

In recent years, Hilton has achieved outstanding results. The 2022, 2023, and 2024 matric classes all maintained a 100% pass rate, and the class of 2023 earned a record number of distinctions per candidate.

The 2024 cohort continued this success, with its 116 matriculants earning an average of 2.6 distinctions each.

Of these, 99 wrote IEB exams and achieved 2.5 A symbols per candidate, while the 11 Cambridge A Level candidates earned an average of 2.9 A symbols. Six pupils sat AS Levels.

This academic excellence comes at a cost. In 2025, Hilton College’s annual boarding and tuition fees are R420,729, a 5.8% increase from 2024.

When BusinessTech began tracking school fees in 2014, Hilton was the only school charging more than R200,000. Now, it has more than doubled that figure.

Despite the high fees, Hilton continues to attract families seeking the very best in education, thanks to its exceptional facilities, top-tier educators, and a prestigious alumni network.